Decoding Sales Episode 45: Lying to customers
Jun 8, 2025
The podcast tackles the provocative question: Is lying to customers ever acceptable? It shares a personal story about a friend's experience with a sales lie, raising eyebrows about honesty in sales. The hosts explore the ethical dilemmas faced by salespeople and how to maintain trust. They discuss effective communication strategies during negotiations and emphasize the importance of transparency during service outages. Listeners learn how to spot dishonest salespeople and the critical dynamics of accountability in maintaining customer relationships.
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Always Be Transparent with Customers
- Never lie to customers as it breaks trust and damages long-term relationships.
- Always present all relevant options transparently, including tradeoffs, to build trust and maintain integrity.
Lying Is Nearly Fireable Offense
- Lying to customers is close to a fireable offense due to brand damage and trust loss.
- Dishonesty often signals deeper character issues affecting both customers and internal teams.
Hire Honest Candidates Only
- Use mock pitches in hiring to see if candidates fake answers under pressure.
- Reject those who make up answers instead of admitting unknowns and offering to follow up.